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Southwest airlines to allow higher-paying customers boarding priority
Justin covered Southwest Airlines' boarding procedures as the company tooled around with changes (here and here). But as the boarding rules changed, one thing remained constant: all citizens were equal on Southwest flights. Here, the economy-class commoners mingled with business-class budgeters. There was no "class warfare" on Southwest, as there were no classes. It was all economy, all the way. No special boarding, and no special treatment. But although Southwest is maintaining the illusion of a perfect democracy, those with more money will soon be able to board first and get their pick of seats. The airline isn't adding a First or Business class, and presumably it's still in the budget-airline category. But it is beginning to cater to business travelers by selling last-minute and more expensive tickets to "business select" travelers. Customers who buy these tickets are automatically placed in the "A" boarding group, which gets to board first. "Business select" travelers even get a complimentary cocktail!
Sounds like a new class has emerged at Southwest after all.
Read the full article here.
Remember Kyla Ebbert, the Southwest Airlines "Skirtgate" girl? Click here to check out her shameless MySpace photos.
Filed under: Business, North America, United States, Airlines, Transportation, Budget Travel
Reader Comments (Page 4 of 4)
Pat W Nov 10th 2007 1:04PM
Better for who? I just printed my boarding pass to Ft. Myers, exactly 24 hours in advance, and came up with A-49...which means that almost 48 people were given advance A status. This means that when my husband and I are traveling together, we'll be lucky if we'll even be able to sit near each other. We have enjoyed flying SW and the open seating, but we may have to rethink our choice of airline for future flights.
Georgia Yang Nov 10th 2007 1:04PM
Wow! What a shame! Southwest was unique, dependable, affordable, and didn't discriminate due to wealth. You can at this moment buy a ticket on line, change a ticket on line, cancel a reservation, buy senior tickets, get your boarding pass. It all works!!!! They actually deliver a decent service. They do what they say they are going to do. But for how long?
Now they are sliding down the same slippery slope the other airlines have gone down. How long will it take before they are just like all the others? Bureaucratic, greedy, and a nightmarish experience from the time you book your ticket until you reach your destination!
Lori Nov 10th 2007 1:21PM
I had a horrible experience with Southwest at the Orlando Airport. I will never fly them again! I arrived almost 2 hours before my flight was to leave. I flew out on a Sunday and little did I know that it was one of their "cheap flight" days. I had my boarding pass but needed to check my luggage. There was a HUGE line that wrapped around & they said the wait was close to an hour just to check your bags. Outside at the curbside check in was just as bad. NO amount of saving was worth that kind of ggravation just to check your luggage. Maybe with the extra money they are charging for people to board first they can get more staff, desk space, kiosks to handle the stampede.
Nick Nov 10th 2007 1:31PM
I am confused by SWA's decision. In all honesty, what difference does it make whether you sit first or last in the plane? My disappointment is when someone old, or handicapped, or people with families have to now resort to the new seating arrangements. They are no longer afforded the privilage of getting to the airplane seats first. If you pay premium ( and do nt fit in the above category) and want to be seated first, then you should be ashamed of your self!! Due to flying frequently with family, after several years flying exclusively with SWA, I have now switched airlines.
robo Nov 10th 2007 1:40PM
They ought to take it one step further and allow you to sit in the cockpit if you pay enough and drink with the pilots, money rules.
chrisoftexas Nov 10th 2007 1:46PM
Southwest, by far, has the best attitude and flights of any airline in the nation. I have been flying Southwest for 6 years now and the boarding process is simple and effective. If you Don't like B or C seats then you need to get off your lazy Butt and check in online 24 hours in advance. If you don't like flying economy then pay the big bucks to sit on another airline. Some people think they are priviledged and deserve front row seats and free drinks and on Southwest everyone gets this service. The flight attendants are nice and don't treat you snooty like the other airlines I have flown on. It takes just as long, or longer, to board other airlines even if you pay more, so, the boarding aurgument is not valid. As always in life, some people think they are special and deserve to be first in line. Southwest poopooed that idea years ago and treats everyone the same, like it or not. Just don't fly Southwest and leave a few open seats for me to stretch across while you board another airline and wait as long as I did to put your bag in the overhead and sit down. If that is the only complaint you have you need to get your head examined.
guy Nov 10th 2007 1:54PM
It used to be that SWA flew only short leg type flights and who cared that they might be stuck in a middle seat, or at the end or front of the plane? You just lined up like cattle and worked your way on.
As SWA began to offer longer flights, the option of reserving seats should have been more obvious to them, but that is not how they perceived it.
Bottom line is everything, and this is one absolutely no frills airline that isn't bleeding money. However, that free drink for the A travelers is a hoot. How does the attendant know who is A and who is C? Some kind of magic marker symbol on your forehead?
james Nov 10th 2007 2:23PM
I have been using SWA for over 5 years. Always on time departures and arrivals. Only time it was late was because of mother nature, heavy fog. I checkin early online and always get an A seating. If I travel with a group of people, four or more, I use an airline that you pick a seat when you purchase a ticket.
Why change a good thing? SWA may lose more regular customers because of the change.
ellie Nov 10th 2007 2:20PM
SWA has really disappointed me. I have put up with "the miracle in the sky wheelchair passengers for years". I require an aisle seat ( no matter where it is) because of a medical problem. Where does that leave me?
c in nc Nov 10th 2007 2:25PM
I've flown SW 4-5 round trips since June and find the experience mostly quite good. Usualy the best prices(at least, if you purchase ahead of time) and a fair number of flight time options to those particular airports, and good leg room, no matter where you sit.
The one thing I hate is the boarding - folks - there's no need to start a line a full hour before a flight - everyone else in the boarding area thinks you are silly, and simply racheting up the degree of competiveness for the rest of us (ok, how many people stand in line until I feel as if I have to join them? If it is "A", I don't care, but if I got stuck with a "B", I don't want tobe more than 5 or 6 back).
As always, it's about balance - between laid back or just goofy flight attendants, between helping families sit together or them grabbing all the 'good' seats, but hey - when I fly, I want to get to my destination on time, for as little $ as possible, and have my bags arrive when I do. With SW - so far, so good.
Regarding having people pay more to guarantee an "A", some people just have more money than sense.
Carolyn Nicol Nov 11th 2007 2:00AM
Shame on you Sout West. I have flown with you a lot. If my family does not make this flight together I hope they believe in God. My husband and I are handicapped from the Vietnam conflict. Will we be allowed to board with our daughter and four year old grand baby as a family? We are going to spend Christmas with our son / brother that is going back to the Middle East for the third time. Two was in Iraq and this time in Afganistan. He is a Marine pilot. Unfortunately, the only flight we could get was on a Saturday that conicided with his schedule. So, if we get bumped, since airlines over book, which of us will miss Christmas with our son or our children. I have three flags from previous wars. You can be rest assured if we do not get there as a family they will wish they had never met me and I will not fly them again. I didn't buy the tickets or we would be going first class on another airline. But, they were our Christmas present from our son for all of us. I was a flight attendant for many years and we didn't change the rules on the passengers, especially around the holidays. HO< HO< HO
Carolyn Nicol Nov 11th 2007 2:13AM
Jim, I hope you never get on the plane. I was a flight attendant. It was asses like you that made our job so enjoyable. Who made you God. Obvously you are in great health and have no children thank God.
My husband and I are Vietnam vets with handicaps for helping to keep your sorry butt free. My grand baby is four so I am suppose to let her board alone. No! You sit in the tail of the plane where it is the worst place to ride since the tail whips more. May SW find you a place on the wing if you are lucky with a bungie cord to hold on to. We do not spend most of our time in the bathroom. It is people like you that DRINK too much that take up the bath room.
Of mecessary, I can steal remove that exit door in a heart beat. My husband was a pilot and can do the same. My grand baby cannot of course but we have the sense no to put her there.
Have a nice day JERK>hope you don't get on the flight and have to deal with us handicapps and children that are wanted and going to see grand parents. Who raised you....the elitist left wing that gives YOU everything you want for free.
Damn Mad
Justin Nov 11th 2007 7:16AM
Who comes up with this stuff. Leave it alone ! This to all of the jerks that get on the plane with a slew of baggage and take forever to place the bags just right in the overhead then discover that they need something and take forever to get the book out and then can't get the damn bag back in the same way that he took it out. Make a person want to slap the a$$hole's silly. But thats just me !
KIGuy52 Nov 12th 2007 8:25AM
Where will it end?...is Southwest going to start making blacks sit in the back of the plane? Where are Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton? This is blatant discrimination against poor minorities. We need to boycott Southwest, run them out of business and start a class-action lawsuit which, besides monetary compensation, will require them to fly minorities anywhere they want to go for free. This is only the fair solution.